D91 Employee News:

The Wednesday morning assembly at Compass Academy started like any other assembly with principal Kris Smith offering students a reminder to exemplify Compass Academy's commitment to be their best and contribute to each assembly. Little did students know principal Smith was preparing them for a big surprise.

During the assembly, Kelly Sheridan, Compass Academy's assistant principal, was awarded a Milken Educator Award! The Milkin Educator Award is the “Oscars of Teaching.” The award honors exceptional educators for excellence and innovation in education. Kelly is the first ever award honoree in Idaho Falls School District 91.

In addition to the recognition for leadership and innovation, the award includes a trip to Los Angles where Kelly will meet other Milkin awardees and participate in leadership, learning and mentorship opportunities. Kelly also received a $25,000 award. Ms. Sheridan will join a very exclusive group of educators and will have the opportunity to help shape educational practice and policy.

Kelly was selected for the Milkin Education Award for her “instructional leadership, collaborative spirit, and eye on data, which has enriched and elevated the entire educational experience at Compass Academy.” Idaho State Superintendent of Education Debbie Critchfield participated in the awards ceremony and said Kelly’s energy, creativity, and adaptability influence students both in and out of the classroom.

Created by Lowell Milkin, the awards recognize educators in their early to mid-career for furthering excellence in education and for the promise of what they will accomplish. The Milkin Family Foundation celebrates more than 40 years of elevating education in American and around the world. Thank you, Kelly for your dedication to your students and passion for helping them learn. We are so proud of you!

This week's questions about the budget include inquiries about para staffing and money spent on legal fees. If you have questions about the budget, submit them using this link.

Question 1: Is the budget going to remove Inclusion Paraprofessionals? In a previous email you stated no staff cuts were identified, but I believe the truth is contrary. Am I going to have unemployment sprung on me come summer? The support we give to schools is tremendous, and I believe we deserve the truth.

No budget cuts have been identified yet. There will be a budget presentation to the board later this month. The budget presentation will include information about the current budget with a focus on answers to questions the board has asked about previous budgets.

Following that presentation, the district will host several meetings for teachers, administrators, parents, and patrons to share budget information and to start working together to discuss how to tackle the current budget challenges. There also will be an opportunity for those who cannot attend meetings to provide feedback through the ThoughtExchange platform, which allows people to make comments, respond to other comments and build consensus and priorities.

Recommendations from these outreach efforts will be presented to the board this Spring. The board will use the information to start making decisions regarding about how to address budget cuts.

Question 2: What funds were used to provide legal aid on behalf of Margaret Wimborne and former superintendent Jim Shank last year? The district's budget includes a budget for legal fees, which are paid from the general fund.

Our Intervention Committee is working hard and making great progress! Last week, the committee visited Jefferson County School District 251's middle schools and high school to see their intervention model at work. Committee members visited classrooms, asked teachers and administrators questions, and chatted with students about their experiences.

The committee learned Rigby Middle School has a five-period day. Students attend school four days a week, and then there's a day for intervention. Students who go to intervention day are able to work with teachers in the core areas of English, math, science, and social studies. During the fifth period, which would typically be an elective, students are able to choose from a variety of six-week exploration courses like winter survival, band/choir/orchestra, esports, robotics, and homework help to name a few. (And, believe it or not, students actually sign up for help.)

Looking at intervention time at different schools has deepened the committee's understanding of the possibilities of an intervention model in Idaho Falls School District 91. The big takeaway from all the committee visits is that the intervention model has a positive effect on graduation rates and early literacy. That is an outcome that is worth our time and attention.

The committee is working to create a blueprint for a D91 intervention model proposal to present to the board. As part of that work, the committee will survey parents, teachers, and staff regarding the proposed model, including the best day of the week for interventions. You don’t need to wait for the survey though. If you have questions, please reach out to me at laorkarl@sd91.org.

Although there is still lots to be done, the committee is still working hard, asking good questions, and working to create a model that serves all students. This committee is filled with dedicated teachers, parents, administrators, and a representative from our board. The ability of community members to collaborate and find solutions exemplifies Courage, Compassion, and Conviction. I am grateful for the opportunity to be part of this important work!

• Feb. 26: Lion King Jr. by Longfellow's Drama Club, Noon, Colonial Theater
• Feb. 27: Board Work Session, 4 pm
• Feb. 29: End of 2nd Trimester
• March 1: Teacher Workday, No School
• March 7 & 8: Elementary School Parent-Teacher Conferences (Please note, March 8 is an at-home learning day for elementary school students. Regular day for secondary students.)
• March 13: SAT Day for Juniors, No School for freshmen, sophomores and seniors
• March 13: Board Business Meeting, 5:30 pm at District Office
• March 13: 5th Grade Patriotic Program, Skyline High School
• March 18-22: Spring Break, All Schools & D91 Offices Closed
• March 28: D91 Ed Foundation's Teacher Appreciation Celebration, 5 to 7 pm at Longfellow Elementary School

March 13 is SAT in D91. Juniors at Compass Academy, and Skyline and Idaho Falls high schools will take the SAT that day, and there will be NO school for freshmen, sophomores and seniors. The SAT gauges college and career readiness and many colleges and universities use it as an entrance requirement.

The D91 Education Foundation is pleased to bring back the Teacher Appreciation Celebration to celebrate our teachers and certified staff! The event will be held from 5 to 7 pm on Thursday, March 28, at Longfellow Elementary School. Dress in your Hollywood best, come walk the red carpet and enjoy dinner, games and prizes.

D91's magnet school – Compass Academy – is now accepting applications for incoming freshman. Compass prides itself on developing innovative creators through project-based and problem-based learning. If you want to learn more about project-based or problem-based learning, check out the student Expo on Feb. 22 from 5 to 6 pm. Apply today!

The launch of D91's new employee timekeeping system, Time Clock Plus, is being pushed back by approximately a month to allow more time for thorough testing, which will help ensure a seamless integration and a smoother transition.

The system should be fully functional and ready for implementation in early April. In the meantime, please continue to use our existing time clock system, and use Skyward to submit any time off requests. You can also use Skyward to check the status of vacation, sick time and personal leave accruals.

We appreciate your patience and understanding as we work diligently to enhance our timekeeping processes. Stay tuned for further updates and training as we approach the new launch date.

The Idaho Department of Education is seeking nominations for one of the state’s most prestigious awards, CapEd Credit Union Idaho Teacher of the Year. The award is open to all Idaho public and charter school educators teaching any subject at any grade level.

The 2025 Idaho Teacher of the Year will receive a cash award of $10,000 courtesy of CapEd Credit Union and will travel across the state to share with other educators, legislators and policymakers about teaching, curriculum, best practice and more. They will also serve as Idaho’s nominee for National Teacher of the Year.

Nominations are due to the Idaho Department of Education by March 18. All nominated teachers will be notified on March 22 and will have until May 20 to submit their applications. A blue ribbon selection committee will then review each application, and the winning educator will be announced in the fall. Learn more and nominate your favorite teacher today!